Eggman ready to hit ground running

STOCKTON - Democrat Susan Eggman was already preparing to serve in the California Assembly before the first ballot was cast.

Kevin Parrish

STOCKTON - Democrat Susan Eggman was already preparing to serve in the California Assembly before the first ballot was cast.

For the past year, she has made it a point to develop capital relationships and legislative connections.

"I wanted to hit the ground running," she said Wednesday, a day after her one-sided victory over Republican K. Jeffrey Jafri for the newly drawn 13th District seat. "I was up there once or twice a week."

Eggman has met with state leaders in agriculture, energy, technology, timber and business.

On Monday, 24 hours before voters went to the polls, Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, 43, and Democratic Party leaders came to Stockton to support Eggman's campaign.

"Speaker Pérez was in town. That's good for us," the 51-year-old Eggman said. "People are already paying attention. He recognized that Stockton has been somewhat overlooked."

Pérez ate lunch at Whirlow's on the Miracle Mile, visited Democratic Party headquarters on Pacific Avenue, and had an opportunity to look around the community.

Beyond politics, Pérez and Eggman have much in common.

Eggman, a Latina, is open about being gay. Pérez, a Latino, is California's first openly gay speaker of the Assembly.

Both are members of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Latino caucuses.

Backed by both groups before the primary, Eggman is an Assemblywoman-elect and, as such, a member of both.

"I try never to surprise people. I am exactly who they expect me to be. And I have great faith in the wisdom of the voters of this city and county," she said.

Eggman, elected to a two-year term, will be one of 80 members of the state Legislature's lower house. She will be sworn in Dec. 3.

Eggman could well be part of a historic era in Sacramento.

California Democratic legislative leaders declared Wednesday they had captured a supermajority of each house, the first time in more than 100 years that the party has wielded such power.

With all precincts counted, Democrats led in enough races to clear that threshold, which would allow them to pass tax increases without needing GOP votes.

"You've still got to govern," Eggman said. "You have to be more responsible when you reach that magic number and govern for the good of the whole."

During her campaign, Eggman said that her first priority will be to champion District 13, which includes all of Stockton, all of Tracy and almost all of western San Joaquin County.

She was twice elected to the Stockton City Council before launching her Assembly campaign. Eggman has been an associate professor of social work at California State University, Sacramento. She left before the fall term to run for higher office.